To forget
by Lovett-Lestrange666
Summary: AU. I have no idea where this story is going -I'm in a Sweeney phase, that's all that matters. Reviews would be nice : You either like it or you don't. Ideas are welcomed :D I have a bad habit of adding loads of chapters when they're not needed. :O
1. Chapter 1

_To Forget - A Sweeney Todd Fanfiction__._

He couldn't forget her. He simply couldn't. Her face, her eyes, her lips, her voice. He needed her in his life, as she once did him. But it would never happen. She was gone. He was left alone with only his dreams as memories. He wanted her back, needed her back, but he couldn't. He had her once, but he let her go. Strange, how you never realise how precious something is until you lose it...

He had spent all his time plotting his revenge, he didn't notice how much she loved him, when it was right in front of him. A mix of emotions conquered him at the present time : hate, jealousy, love, sorrow. His hate for Anthony - who now had Johanna - burned like the fires of hell. His jealousy for the man who had Nellie Lovett on his arm was equal to his hate for him. His love for Nellie grew and grew with each passing day, every waking hour filled with memories of her. His sorrow for Lucy - oh, how he missed her. He had never noticed Nellie's obvious infatuation with him at the time, as his mourning for Lucy and hate for Judge Turpin was all that was on his mind, but now they were gone. Both dead. Sweeney began to notice how hard times that call for desperate measures can bring two people together, but now, now Nellie was also gone. Alive and well, by the sea, with a husband, and Toby, just like she always dreamed. That could of been him, but it wasn't.

It was discovered that Sweeney Todd's Tonsorial Parlor was merely a masquerade for a murdering scheme. Toby had escaped, gotten the law to seize the barber and the baker. Toby was thankful towards Nellie Lovett. She had saved him, and he would make sure that the favour would be returned...and it was.

Toby had told the law that Sweeney had concocted this murdering scheme alone. Murdered the innocent, fed his revenge and threatened Nellie Lovett to the point of delusion - all a fantastic cover-up when the authorities seized Sweeney and she confessed her guilt - which was ignored. Toby was as calculating as the demon barber himself, later introducing Nellie to a noble aristocrat, allowing them to fall in love, move down by the sea, and convincing her to forget about Sweeney being arrested...until one day...


	2. Chapter 2

A local butcher had been murdered, his throat slit. This brought back memories. Floods of memories. The barber and the baker dancing around the shop, opening the chest to find Pirelli's blood-soaked, lifeless body, dancing in the bakehouse, Judge Turpin grabbing onto her dress, her dreams about the sea, Toby asleep with a bottle of ale in his hands and the authorities seizing Sweeney Todd.

How could she possibly tell the man she was married to that she was in love with someone else? How could she possibly explain that she had to return to London? How could she possibly abandon Toby by the sea with this man? Better yet, how could she possibly just leave without questions being asked? She couldn't. She could either live with the pain of isolation or take the risk of losing her dream.


	3. Chapter 3

''Ernest,'' Nellie whispered. ''I know we've been livin' down here for a while, but I'm thinking that I'm wantin' to go and see London again,'' she said. ''Alone.''

She stopped and looked in the mirror. ''No, no, that won't do.'' she whispered.

''Something wrong, dear?'' a manly voice asked.

''Oh, no, nothing at all,'' Nellie smiled. ''I was just thinking-''

''Yes?'' Ernest asked. ''What is it, Nellie?''

''Oh, well...I-'' she stammered.

''Come on, spit it out before you choke on it.'' Ernest laughed.

''Well, I was thinkin' that maybe...'' she started. ''That maybe I could go back to London, to visit an old friend.''

''And whom might that be, may I ask?''

''Just Maggie.'' Nellie lied.

''Maggie...?'' Ernest asked.

''Maggie...Barker.'' she answered. She couldn't help it. Barker just slipped out.

''Barker?'' Ernest said, thinking. ''I don't recall her, but if you wish to go and visit an old friend, let us go.''

''Oh, no, Ernest. I was thinking of going...alone.'' she confessed.

''Alone?'' he laughed. ''Why on Earth would you want to go _alone?_''

''I'm not sure,'' she answered, vaguely. ''I just think it'd be better. Maggie and me, just like old times, long before I met you.''

''Ah,'' her husband said. ''Well, I'm not so keen on it, but I suppose you can go - I was thinking of going on an expedition, anyway.''

''I was thinking of leaving tomorrow,'' Nellie said. ''Just to get it out of the way.''

''_Tomorrow_?!'' Ernest asked himself. ''That's a bit sudden. You shan't be taking Toby with you?''

''Oh, no. I don't think I will,'' Nellie said, smugly. ''Just me.''

''Ah, all right then. You'd best be heading for bed, the early bird catches the worm, eh?''

''Yeah.'' Nellie smiled.

And with that, she headed to bed, and fell asleep in an instant.


	4. Chapter 4

Light shone through the thin curtains, causing Nellie to wake.

She sighed and raised her arms above her head, stretching.

She looked to her right, and noticed that Ernest wasn't there.

''Ernest?'' she called, expecting an answer from the next room, but there wasn't one.

She sighed and clambered out of bed, walking into the next room.

There he was, asleep in his armchair.

Nellie chuckled to herself, and headed to get ready. Picking out her favourite dress - Toby had told her Ernest bought her it - but, memories told her otherwise. Memories told her she had it when Sweeney Todd first entered her shop.

She kissed Ernest's forehead, whispered goodbye, and left the house, walking the narrow path towards the carriage station.

On the way, she used the eerie silence to ponder her thoughts.

_Did I really just lie to my husband just to visit another man? Am I really doing this? Do I really, truly love Sweeney? What will I say to him? How can I explain?_

''Ah, here we are.'' she smiled as the carriages came into view.

''Ah, Nellie!'' a man exclaimed.

''Hello, Horace.'' Nellie smiled.

''Where are you off to, then?'' he asked.

''I'm headed for London,'' she answered. ''Would you be able to take me there?''

''All the way to London?'' he asked.

''Yes, it's important.'' she answered.

''Ah, well, if it's important to you Nellie, then I'll take you.'' Horace smiled.

''Thank you, Horace.'' she smiled back.

''You goin' by yourself?'' Horace asked, as he spotted a small figure coming up the narrow path, towards his carriage.

''Yes,'' Nellie answered, climbing inside the carriage, not seeing the figure emerging through the morning mist. ''I need to get there as soon as possible.'' she explained.

''Alright, off we go then.'' he laughed, climbing up to his seat and clutching the reins of his two horses.

The figure caught onto the back of the carriage, and climbed up onto the roof, then sat beside Horace on the seat, while the carriage moved on.

''Ah,'' Horace smiled, as he looked at the person sitting next to him.

''Ssh,'' the person answered. ''I'm with her, but it's a surprise.''

''Ah, I see,'' Horace whispered. ''Very well, Master Toby.''


	5. Chapter 5

Light shone through the thin curtains, causing Nellie to wake.

She sighed and raised her arms above her head, stretching.

She looked to her right, and noticed that Ernest wasn't there.

''Ernest?'' she called, expecting an answer from the next room, but there wasn't one.

She sighed and clambered out of bed, walking into the next room.

There he was, asleep in his armchair.

Nellie chuckled to herself, and headed to get ready. Picking out her favourite dress - Toby had told her Ernest bought her it - but, memories told her otherwise. Memories told her she had it when Sweeney Todd first entered her shop.

She kissed Ernest's forehead, whispered goodbye, and left the house, walking the narrow path towards the carriage station.

On the way, she used the eerie silence to ponder her thoughts.

_Did I really just lie to my husband just to visit another man? Am I really doing this? Do I really, truly love Sweeney? What will I say to him? How can I explain?_

''Ah, here we are.'' she smiled as the carriages came into view.

''Ah, Nellie!'' a man exclaimed.

''Hello, Horace.'' Nellie smiled.

''Where are you off to, then?'' he asked.

''I'm headed for London,'' she answered. ''Would you be able to take me there?''

''All the way to London?'' he asked.

''Yes, it's important.'' she answered.

''Ah, well, if it's important to you Nellie, then I'll take you.'' Horace smiled.

''Thank you, Horace.'' she smiled back.

''You goin' by yourself?'' Horace asked, as he spotted a small figure coming up the narrow path, towards his carriage.

''Yes,'' Nellie answered, climbing inside the carriage, not seeing the figure emerging through the morning mist. ''I need to get there as soon as possible.'' she explained.

''Alright, off we go then.'' he laughed, climbing up to his seat and clutching the reins of his two horses.

The figure caught onto the back of the carriage, and climbed up onto the roof, then sat beside Horace on the seat, while the carriage moved on.

''Ah,'' Horace smiled, as he looked at the person sitting next to him.

''Ssh,'' the person answered. ''I'm with her, but it's a surprise.''

''Ah, I see,'' Horace whispered. ''Very well, Master Toby.''


	6. Chapter 6

Several hours passed, but to Nellie, it felt like days - years, even.

She smiled to herself at the thought of seeing her old bakehouse, seeing Sweeney, breathing the London air.

''Whoaaaa!'' Horace called, pulling on the reins, causing the horses to stop.

''Horace?'' Nellie asked, sticking her head out of the carriage. ''What's wrong? Surely we can't be in London already.''

''The carriage won't fit the bridge,'' he answered. ''Sorry, Nellie, looks like you're walkin' from here.''

''Walk?'' she cried. ''I can't _walk _to London!''

''Don't worry,'' Horace said. ''We should only be a few miles away, three at the most.''

''Well, I suppose that's not too bad,'' she sighed. ''How much for the fare?''

''For you, Nellie...'' Horace thought. ''It's free.''

''No, Horace, I'm not letting you leave empty-handed.''

''Come, come, Nellie. Look, I've not even taken you the full way,'' Horace laughed.

''Not a penny charge.'' he said.

''Oh, thank you, Horace.'' Nellie smiled, hopping out of the carriage.

She walked over to the bridge, which was only wide enough to fit two people walking side-to-side.

''Thanks, Horace.'' she smiled, waving as Horace drove away.

After the carriage was out of sight, Nellie kept her gaze on the ground, staring, not daring to blink until she was at the other side of the bridge.

''Ma'am,'' a voice called.

Nellie looked up, to see Toby smiling at her.

''Toby?!'' she shrieked.

''Hello, ma'am!'' he beamed.


	7. Chapter 7

''What are you-'' she stuttered. ''Why are _you _here?''

''I came with you,'' he answered. ''Didn't want you walkin' 'round London by yourself.''

''Toby,'' she started. ''I _wanted _to go on my own, I'm visiting a friend.''

''A friend?'' he asked.

Nellie stayed quiet.

''I doubt that, ma'am,'' Toby smiled.

''What do you mean?''

''I knows why you're goin' back,''

''Yes,'' Nellie said, slowly. ''To visit a friend.''

''No, ma'am,'' Toby said, mocking her tone. ''You's goin' back to see Mr Todd.''

_How could he know that?_

''Mr Todd?'' Nellie asked. ''Who is Mr Todd?''

''Ma'am, I told you,'' Toby said. ''I may not be smart, but I ain't dumb.''

_He was right, he did say that._

''Toby, I know you're not dumb,'' she said. ''But I do not know a Mr Todd.''

''Ma'am, I know you do,'' Toby sighed. ''I can tell.''

''How can you tell?'' she asked.

''Just the way you's been actin' since you heard about that poor bugger got his throat slit,'' he answered. ''I know.''

_She knew she would have to confess._

''Why did you lie to me?'' she asked.

''He's a bad man,'' Toby said. ''He was gunna harm you.''

''Toby, I can take care of myself,'' she sighed. ''I love him.''

''But, ma'am, you's married.''

''Yes, but not for love,'' she cried. ''But what is love in these times?!''

''Ma'am?''

''What is it, Toby?''

''Do you really love him?'' he asked.

''Wha-?'' she answered. ''Yes, yes, I believe I do.''

''Well, then. I think I better come with you,'' Toby sighed. ''An' I miss that London air.''

Nellie smiled, and took Toby's hand.

She had learned to forgive lying. She had lied to Sweeney - told him Lucy was ''gone'' - luckily, he hadn't found out he had killed his own wife.

They walked for hours. Three miles later, the chimneypots of London were visible, high in the skies.

''Home.'' Nellie sighed.


	8. Chapter 8

As they walked through the cluttered streets of London, Nellie couldn't help but feel a sense of horrible joy. Why this joy felt like despair, she couldn't explain, nor could she understand, but as they turned the corner into Fleet Street, she understood.

The shop was isolated. No candles inviting visitors into the warmth, merely blackness submerged in the windows, both upstairs and downstairs. The meat pie emporium was how she expected - still run-down and deserted - but she expected Sweeney's shop to be lit.

''Why's it in darkness?'' she asked herself, walking towards the barber's shop, and climbing the stairs.


	9. Chapter 9

She pushed open the door to the barber shop - it looked the exact same as it did last time she was here - same chair that Sweeney had altered, same chest where Pirelli's body had lay, same mirror that was cracked when Sweeney explained there being only two types of men in the world, and the same set of razors - underneath the floorboards - where she had hidden them eighteen years ago. Three years had passed since she had last been here - but she could still smell the stench of the sewers below, she could still see Sweeney standing by the window, she could still hear his voice calling her name and she could still remember Sweeney pondering that we all deserve to die.

Toby walked around the shop, examining it.

After some time, the silence was broken.

''Where d'you think he is?'' Nellie asked.

''I'd put my money on jail,'' Toby said. ''That or Bedlam.''

''What?''

''Well, the authorities _did _arrest him,'' Toby said. ''So he's probably rotting in jail.''

''So this was all in vain?'' Nellie sighed, burying her face in her hands.


	10. Chapter 10

''Ma'am,'' Toby said, consoling her. ''There's always the chance that someone may know where he is.''

Nellie looked up at Toby and smiled.

''You're right.'' she said, as she wiped away her tears.

''Well, come on.'' Toby said, pulling her up and heading for the door.

''Used to own that shop there,'' Toby said. ''Sweeney Todd?''

''Sorry, son, can't say I knows him.'' an old woman answered, holding her grocery basket.

''Sir!'' Nellie called, following an upper-class gentleman. ''Sir!''

''Yes, ma'am?'' the man asked, turning round. ''May I help you?''

''The man that owned that shop?'' she asked.

''Mister Sweeney Todd?'' the man answered.

''Yes, that's the one,'' Nellie beamed. ''Do you know where he is?''

''I cannot say for certain, ma'am,'' he answered. ''But, I _can _tell you who _will_ know.''

''Oh,'' Nellie smiled. ''Who can?''

The man muttered a name into Nellie's ear, and she gasped so dramatically that the man jumped back in fear.

''Oh, so sorry, sir,'' Nellie said. ''I was in the conclusion that...that _he _was dead.''

''No, ma'am,'' the gentleman laughed. ''He is in good health, safe in his home.''

''But-'' Nellie started.

''Alive and well, ma'am.''

''Yes, of course he is, sir.'' she smiled, forcedly. ''Alive and well.''

''Well, good-day, ma'am.'' the man smiled, bowing and walking away.

''Toby!'' Nellie yelled.

''Yes, ma'am?'' Toby asked, appearing in front of her at the same instant she called him.

''We must go to...'' she began. ''We...must go to...''

''Out with it, ma'am, before you choke on it!'' Toby said, patting her back.

''We must go to....the Judge.''

''The Judge?'' Toby asked. ''What, Judge Turpin?''

''Yes,'' Nellie answered, voice trembling. ''Yes, Judge Turpin.''

''But...he's dead, ain't he, ma'am? I saw him-''

''No, Toby, he isn't,'' she answered. ''I thought he was, but somehow-''

''Ma'am?'' Toby asked, a worried look on his face.

''But somehow, he's alive.'' she said.

''What's we gonna say to 'im?'' Toby asked.

''Perhaps-'' she said, thinking. ''Perhaps he shan't remember us.''

''Maybe,'' Toby said, but he knew this plan wouldn't turn out the way Nellie had planned.


End file.
